Former UM Athletic Directors on Current State of College Football

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - The postseason for NCAA Football has brought glaring changes after many top-name schools had players opt out of playing for a variety of reasons, mostly revolving around how a possible injury might affect their future at another school through the transfer portal or a potential NFL career.

KGVO News spoke to former University of Montana and Florida State Athletic Directors Wayne Hogan and Jim O'Day about the current state of college football, and they were not optimistic about its future.

Wayne Hogan said 'The Genie is Definitely Out of the Bottle'

“Sadly, Peter, I'm one of those who is extremely sad about it,” began Hogan. “I can tell you that the college football that I worked in for 35 or more years and that I've loved from the first time I ever was involved and ever saw it really as a kid as a fan; I'm afraid it's gone and I don't think the genie’s going back in the bottle on this.”

Hogan referenced his former team, the Florida State Seminoles and its poor performance in the recent FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) semi-final game against top-ranked Georgia.

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Hogan has a Personal Connection with Florida State Football

“This affected my alma mater, Florida State, which was the poster child for that whole operation of all these players,” he said. “I think they had 29 players that opted out of their bowl game against Georgia. You get all these kids in a room and you say, ‘Oh, we want you to do this for good old FSU, or good old Clemson or whatever school’, just name a school and that doesn't mean as much as it used to. It just doesn't.”

Former UM Athletic Director Jim O’Day also drew a stark contrast between the elite college programs like Alabama and Texas and FCS schools like Montana.

Former AD Jim O'Day said the Issue must be Addressed Quickly by the NCAA

“It is moving faster than probably anything I've ever seen in the NCAA, but it is something that they are going to have to address very quickly,” said O’Day. “You know, when we look at what a NIL (Name Image and Likeness) agreement might be at the FCS level of Montana or Montana State, we can not even come anywhere in comparison to an Archie Manning at Texas, who is a backup quarterback and I think he's making $3.6 million on his name, image, and likeness.”

After his pessimistic comments about the top levels of college football, Hogan held out a ray of hope for college football, specifically with smaller schools (FCS schools) like the Montana Grizzlies.

“The real beauty in college football right now is places like Montana and the in the FCS, (Football Championship Subdivision)” he said. “These kids are doing it for the right reasons, and that’s the way college football should be. For that reason, I just continue to follow the Grizzlies and follow all the schools that are doing the same kinds of things. So that's the shining light right there. There is one shining light and that's it.”

The second-ranked Montana Grizzlies will face the number one seed and defending national champion South Dakota State Jackrabbits for the FCS National Championship this Sunday at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.